Snap.



J. A. STUBBLEFIELD.

SNAP.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14, 1909.

940,21 3. Patented Nov. 16,1909.

. Q V irmowo 5 M- atmnuaa JOHN A. STUBBLEFIELD, 0F SALEM, OREGON.

SNAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 16, 1909.

Application filed January 14, 1909. Serial No. 472,200.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. STUBBLE- FIELD, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Salem, in the county of Marion and State of Oregon,have invented a new and useful Snap, of which the following is aspecification.

It is the objectof the present invention to provide a novel form of snapconnection for harness and the like and one particularly well adaptedfor use in connecting strap lengths and one of the novel features of thedevice resides in so constructing the two members of the same as toautomatically cause their alinement upon their connection with eachother so that the straps connected by the said device will be themselvesalined.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of means forpreventing rotation of one member with respect to the other and therebypreventing their accidental separation.

r-i further object of the invention is to so construct the device thatit will be as compact as practical and may readily be manipulated forthe purpose of connecting or disconnecting the straps or other elementsassociated therewith.

Another novel feature of the invention resides in the simplicity of theparts thereof and their arrangement so as to provide against injurywhile under strain incident to use.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinalsectional view through a snap connection constructed in accordance withthe present invention, Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, parts being shownin section, and Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the plug memberof the said connection.

As shown in the drawings, the snap connection embodying the inventionconsists of two members, one, indicated by the refer ence character A,being the socket member of the device, and the other, indicated ingeneral by the reference character B, being the plug member of thedevice. j 3

The socket member of the device is in the form of a substantiallycylindrical sleeve 5 closed at one end as indicated by the numeral 6 andformed at its said end with a loop 7 with which may be connected a strapor other connection or element intended to be connected with anotherelement through the medium of the device, the strap being indicated bythe numeral 8. For the engagement of locking elements, as will bepresently described, the said sleeve 5 is formed with diametricallyoppositely located seats 9, preferably formed by stamping up the metalof the sleeve, although they may be otherwise formed, and these seatsresult in shoulders 10 adjacent the open end 11 of the sleeve 5 for theengagement of the shoulders of the locking elements of the plug member Bof the device. For a purpose also to be presently described,-the sleeve18 provided with a pin 12 which extends transversely thereacrossadjacent its closed end 6. i

The plug member of the device is comprised of a cylindrical body 13provided with a slot 14 which opens through the body from side to sideas at 15 and the said body is formed with a web 16 which extends axiallythereof and divides the slot for the greater portion of its length. Thisweb 16 extends beyond one end of the body 13 as is clearly shown in Fig.3 of the drawings, and is provided at its extremity, with a slot 17 forthe passage of a strap or other connection 18 which is to be joined withthe connection. or strap 8 through the medium of the device embodyingthe invention.

Pivoted in the slot let, as at 19 is a pair of locking elementsincluding stems 20 and heads 21, the said heads having abrupt orshouldered ends 22 which are adapted to engage with the shoulders 10 ofthe seats 9 of the socket member of the device when the plug member isinserted thereinto. Beyond the shouldered end 22 of the head 21, thelocking elements are provided each with a flat finger piece 23 and froman inspection of Fig. 1 of the drawings it will be seen that these twoelements are adapted for movement, on their pivots, toward and from eachother, and that upon movement from each other, or in other words uponseparation, they will tend to seat in the seats 9 formed in the socketmember for this purpose. In order that the elements may be automaticallycompelled to seat in the seats 9 of the socket member, a flat leafspring 21 bent at a point midway of its ends, upon itself, as at 25, isfitted upon the web 16 with its. bend receiving the inner end of thesaid web, the spaced portions of the spring being sprung apart and awayfrom the said web as indicated by the numeral 26 and seating at theirextremities against the opposed or inner faces or sides of the heads 21and corresponding finger pieces 23, it being understood that this springtends to force both of the elements in a direction to engage in theseats 9 upon insertion of the plug member intothe socket member of thedevice, or in other words, tends normally to separate the said elements.This separation of the elements is had, only to a limited degreeinasmuch as a ring 27 is engaged upon the members substantially at thepoints of junction of their finger pieces 23 with the shouldered ends oftheir heads 21, the-ring passing through openings 28 formed in the web16. It will be understood from the foregoing description of theinvention that upon insertion of the plug member of the device into thesocket member thereof, the locking elements 20 will automatically springwith their heads 21 engaging in the seats 9 formed in the said socketmember, and that the abrupt or shouldered ends 22 of the said head willengage with the shoulders 10 of the said seats so as to effectuallyprevent accidental withdrawal of the plug member from the socket member.It will be observed from an inspection of Fig. 1 of the drawings thatthe web 16 of the plug member projects at its outer end beyond theextremities of the finger pieces 23 of the locking element 20, and itwill further be understood, in connection with the foregoingdescription, that upon pressing both of the finger pieces 23 in thedirection of the said web, the shouldered ends of their heads 21 will becaused to disengage from the shouldered ends of the seats, and thatremoval of the plug may then be accomplished.

As will be understood from an inspection of the drawings, and asheretofore stated, the seats 9 are formed by stamping out the walls ofthe sleeve 5 comprising the body of the socket member A of the device,and these seats are oppositely located, so that in order for the plugmember to have its locking ele ment engaged with the seats, the saidplug element must be in proper alinement with the socket member wheninserted thereinto,

- and it is desirable that some means be provided for automaticallyaccomplishing this alinement of the two members so that repeatedendeavors to bring the members to proper alinement will not be renderednecessary; The means just mentioned is embodied, in part, in thetransverse pin 12 of the socket member, which pin has heretofore beenreferred to, and the inner end of the plug body 13 is rounded orconvexed as indicated by the numeral 29 and is formed with a slot ornotch. 30 extending, as shown in the drawings, in the same plane as theslot 1 1 in the said body of the plug member.

Now, should the plug member be inserted into the socket member in aposition other than in proper alinement therewith, the convex-end of thebody 13 of the plug member of the device will engage with the transversepin 12 and further pressure in a direction to insert the plug in thesocket will result in the edges of the slot 30 in the end of the saidbody 13 riding over the pin, causing partial rotation of the plug memberas an entirety and a final seating of the pin in the slot 30 and,simultaneously, an auto matic engagement of the locking elements in theseats 9 of the socket member.

From the foregoing description of the invention it will be seen thatthere is provided an extremely simple snap connection of this class forthe purpose described and that the device may be quickly manipulated toconnect or disconnect the strap lengths or other elements. Further, itwill be understood that means is provided for automatically alining thetwo members of the device whereby they may be connected with a singlemovement instead of repeated trials at securing the proper alinementbeing necessary.

What is claimed is 1. A device of the class described comprising asocket member and a plug member removably fitted in the socket memberand having means thereon for automatically locking it in the socketmember when inserted therein, and a transverse pin in the socket member,the plug member having a rounded end formed with a notch to receive saidpin whereby the plug member may be held in alinement with the socketmember.

2. A device of the class described comprising a socket member, shouldersupon the said members, and a plug member removably fitted into thesocket member and having means thereon to engage with the shoulders uponthe socket member for automatically locking the plug member within thesocket member when inserted therein, and a transverse pin carried by thesocket member, the end of the plug member being rounded and formed witha slot, the edges of the slot at the said rounded end being adapted toride over the pin upon insertion of the plug member into the socketmember whereby, upon such insertion, the plug member will be alined withthe socket member.

3. A device of the class described comprising a socket member and a plugmember fitted removably into the socket member, the said plug membercomprising a body, locking elements pivoted upon the body and movabletoward and from each other, the said body being formed with a webextending between the locking elements,

a spring fitted upon the Web and having its In testimony that I claimthe foregoing as end portions engaging with the locking elemy own, Ihave hereto affixed my signature ment and tending normally to separatethe in the presence of two Witnesses.

same, the said Web portion of the body of the JOHN A. STUBBLEFIELD. plugprojecting beyond one end of the said Vitnesses:

socket member and being adapted for the i F. E. NEWBERRY,

connection of a strap or the like. 1 C. L. MONARY.

